Doctors316 for 7

Solicitors127 all out

Doctors reverted to the tried and trusted opening partnership of Keith
Powell and John Ogle and they made a steady start on a damp wicket with a
sodden outfield against tidy bowling from Nigel Yeo and Amjad Arif.As the batsmen got used to the slowness of
the wicket the scoring rate mounted with Ogle unfurling his trademark stylish
cover drive and Powell whacking the ball over cover and past mid off.James Mumford and Alex Ward slowed the run
rate but the stand was worth 83, a season’s best for Doctors, when Ogle (28)
gave his first and only chance off Mumford who was the pick of the
Solicitors’ bowling.Powell and Graham
Fergusson motored along at six an over and Powell brought up his fifty with a
glorious off drive off Mumford (2-44).Sadly for Powell (53) his next ball was a long hop which he hit
straight to Ward at point.This
brought in Ali Witts for a blistering century stand with Fergusson featuring
a volley of skimming fours and soaring sixes.Fergusson retired on 102 not out but the punishment was not over as
Sam Powell contributed a brutal 42 runs off 4 overs.Witts (51) was caught off Ward (1-34) and
the returning Yeo (2-52) caught and bowled Powell as he and Arif (2-29)
collected late order wickets to prevent a total rout.

Yeo and John Sherwin opened the Solicitors’ reply with a steady fifty
stand despite good opening spells from Jeremy Budd and Charles Macadam.Oliver Budd obtained bounce and turn in
both directions without any luck but it was the excellent Ali Witts who broke
through when Yeo (15) was bowled.Sherwin’s classical technique was complemented by a forceful innings
from Edmonds as they took the score on to 81 but the match turned when
Sherwin (49) went for a second run to Phil Barker at cover.Barker’s good throw went to the bowler’s
end where the alert Sam Powell gathered and hurled the ball to keeper
Fergusson for a fine run out.Edmonds
(23) succumbed to a superb, diving, one-handed catch by Witts at midwicket
off Peter Reed (3-26) who then joined Barker (1-9) and Sam Powell (1-8) to
cut a swathe through the middle order thanks to good catching by Fergusson
and Keith Powell.Richard Budd (2-1)
administered the last rites when Solicitors’ captain Ed Boyce bottom-edged into
the base of his stumps.